This is a 2008 brand new frame after my first ride on it yesterday. Replacement frame for the 2008 Rush frame I damaged on a massive rock smashing into the downtube. The blemish you see about an inch from bottom bracket appears to be a crack in the outer plastic protective coating over the carbon fiber. The "crack is only across the top half of the chain stay. I can not remember if there was anything there before or not. I did not notice. Is this normal, is this a crack?

Taking it to the bike shop for inspection. Thought I would see what the board thinks.

If you bought this first hand from a Cannondale shop then there will be no issue with replacement. If you're not the first owner then that is another story and they can deny any warranty they want. But as long as you're the only owner then they'll hook you up with the same thing or something better.

I bought the frame as a crash replacement at a pretty good discount especially since it was a 2008 frame from the LBS. XL frames are hard to come by. I like the ride quality of carbon but a rz 120 is only aluminum and a rz140 carbon is a little over kill for xxc and 100 mile races. I am concerned about the scapelbeing able to hold up and I do not want to touch the bullit proof prophet.

So what do you do with your 2008 110mm fox lefty? Any other frame than a scapel or rz 120 requires the purchase of a new lefty. $$$$$$

I bought the frame as a crash replacement at a pretty good discount especially since it was a 2008 frame from the LBS. XL frames are hard to come by. I like the ride quality of carbon but a rz 120 is only aluminum and a rz140 carbon is a little over kill for xxc and 100 mile races. I am concerned about the scapelbeing able to hold up and I do not want to touch the bullit proof prophet.

So what do you do with your 2008 110mm fox lefty? Any other frame than a scapel or rz 120 requires the purchase of a new lefty. $$$$$$

Hold out for a 2010 Scalpel. I'd be all pissed at cdale as you just got it. You should be on thier "Oh crap, we better make this guy happy" list. The rz120 is respectable, but if you have a carbon scaple, got to hold out for something carbon.

I am on my second carbon scalpel, first one was 09, now my 2010 is coming apart in the same place. The top tube is seperating from the seat tube at the "joint" Doesn't look to bad right now, same as the last one though, right where the materials are joined. Last time I just had to send a pic to the rep, no questions asked. Hoping for the all carbon model next, shouldn't have this problem with the new design, 20mm, less travel, but also 1 lb lighter!

Can the scapel hold up to east coast rocky rooty trails? I tend to point straight down the mountain and let it go. Not sure this frame design can take my weight and aggressive down hill speed. My prophet and the rush took it but this frame issue with the scapel I am afraid will always be in my mind.

Rode a friends 2010 carbon rz 140 last night. It weighed in at 24.5 lbs. Very nice ride and was confidence inspiring. It was like being on a super light prophet that you can throw around like a rag doll. Nice rear suspension performance. Did not get to climb a super granny climb though. Thinking about going this route for marathon and 100 mile events and skip the rz120. Expensive but peace of mind. I have a 100 mile event coming up in 4 weeks and am running out of time. Any opinions?

Definitely understand your point. This frame got a relatively easy ride of 25miles of fireroad with one down hill on a smooth trail. Wheels did not leave the ground more than 6 inches and no rock gardens.

Since the pro riders can go at least 30 seconds a mile faster than me across the same terrain on my best day and cannondale frames are designed for 300 lb max, I would think the scapel should hold up.

I see plenty of faster and agressive XXC folks riding these and all the reports I have gotten from them have been glowing on the scapel.

Cannondale looked at the frame and concluded the point that it cracked was a manufacturing issue. I got new frame just like it and have put about 9 hours and 90 miles on it with no problems on respectfully hard trails. NIce riding and fast bike. Weighs in at 25.5lbs with 2008 components and 2.35 UST tires.

Cool part was destroying the cracked frame with a 5lb hammer and taking the rear shock off and trying to break the rear triangle. It took multiple and very hard hits to visibly damage the down tube. The rear triangle flexed all the way to the downtube with out making sound. Took quite a bit of effort to break the frame.

We will see how it performs on more rugged terrain but so far so good.

They never took back the last two of my Scalpels that fell apart, either. That indicates to me they understood the specific failures my frames experienced. Two of the three were bonding failures between the carbon and Al. The third was a cracked chainstay. Go figure...

Originally Posted by cannondale rider 66

Thinking about going this route for marathon and 100 mile events and skip the rz120.

I would try a 120 if you can. I went from a Scalpel to a 140, and there are a lot of times I wish I had at least tried the more aggressive geometry of the 120, despite having no carbon option. Having so much of your weight on the rear makes the rear susp. perform really well on the 140, but also makes it hard to get the front tire to bite around sharp turns - at least for me.

Of course the flipside is the 140 really excels on anything rough. It pedals very well, and climbs better than it should for the amount of travel it has. In fact, on rougher, faster climbs, it beats the Scalpel because you can plant your butt and keep spinning where you'd have to at least unweight your saddle on the Scalpel. In short, the 140 mows down bumps weather you're pointed up, down, or flat, and does so efficiently.

The cannondale representative inspected the frame at the LBS and gave the go ahead to destroy it.

I was very torn between the rz140 and scapel and almost requested to go to the rz140 inspite of the extra expense of needing a new lefty for the very reasons you state. I will definitely be slower on the rough stuff and downhills but should make up the time on the flats and climbing. The time difference between the Rush I used to have-the Scapel I now have and my daily bike the Prophet is within a minute for each hour. Prophet screams down hill but you eat a lot of energy climbing. Once you get past a 2 or 3 hours you see the time difference start opening up significantly.

I would have gone the rz120 route but really like the ride quality carbon gives and how the body feels after many hours. Wish they had a carbon version.